


He's Not Coming Home

by fromthedepthsofinsanity



Series: First Line - One Piece Edition [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas fic, Established Relationship, F/M, First Line Series, M/M, Married Couple!Sanji and Nami, Reunion Sex, Surprise Christmas Gifts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-30 16:26:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17832047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthedepthsofinsanity/pseuds/fromthedepthsofinsanity
Summary: In which Luffy and Zoro were supposed to spend Christmas together, but work keeps Zoro from returning as planned. Upon hearing this, Nami and Sanji remedy the situation and bring Zoro home.





	He's Not Coming Home

“He’s not coming home.” 

It was so simple, an easy to digest statement, delivered as if Luffy was discussing the weather. It shouldn’t have sent Nami into a shocked fit that nearly made her spill her drink. 

“What?” 

Luffy blinked, clearly confused by Nami’s tone, “Zoro’s not coming home.” 

“Why?” 

To this, Luffy shrugged, but he couldn’t hide the slightly dejected way his lips turned downward or how his shoulders slumped a little lower when he relaxed back into his chair. He’d never been good at smothering what he was truly feeling, and Nami didn’t help. She, having known Luffy since they were children, may as well have been an expert in all of Luffy’s subtleties (or more often than not, a lack thereof.) 

“I can lend him money if-” 

“No,” To this Luffy was firm. 

She supposed it was to be expected, given her reputation as something akin to a loan shark.

“No,” He repeated, though a lot less firmly, less biting, “It’s not money.” 

A ginger eyebrow rose on her forehead, “Are you two,” She paused. She didn’t know how to word this delicately and still have Luffy understand what she was fishing for, “Having problems?” 

He shook his head, and she searched him. Not lying. She wasn’t sure how to continue without slicing Luffy open. The last thing she wanted to do was continue to push and end up shoving Luffy further into the sadness he wanted to shelve. 

Nami opted to sip at her juice and rub at the swell beneath her shirt. The little one within her could feel the change in her emotions and was not having its nap disturbed so soon in the afternoon. It kicked viciously on a good day, but when provoked? She may as well be carrying a horse if its sharp jabs to her ribs and bladder were any indication. 

She could only blame its father and wait impatiently for its closely approaching birthday. 

“Mihawk.” 

“Hm?” 

“It’s Mihawk. He’s keeping him longer.” 

To this, Nami began to boil, “Over the holidays though?” 

“That’s what I said,” Luffy grumbled, cheeks puffing up with irritation, “But he wouldn’t listen to me.” 

“But you stayed here to be with Zoro over Christmas.” 

Luffy nodded in confirmation and sighed. 

“So,” Nami searched for words, trying her hardest to keep her head and figure out the particulars, “Is Ace coming down?” 

Luffy shook his head, “Overseas still.” 

“Usopp?” 

Luffy shook his head, “Kaya.” 

“Shanks?” 

Luffy shook his head, “Makino and her family.” 

“Robin? Ah, no, she’s with Franky on vacation. Chopper? No. He’s gone too. Brook?” 

Luffy shook his head, “Tour.” 

Nami was grasping now, “Sabo?!” 

Luffy shook his head, “Koala.” 

“Well that’s just shitty!” Nami slammed her hand down on the table, rattling the glasses and flower vase and commanding all the restaurant patrons’ attentions. She couldn’t care less though, “You made plans, and he should respect that!” 

“He doesn’t care, Nami.” 

“Oya, you upsetting my wife, Luffy?” 

Glittering plates with gorgeous food were set in front of them, and conversation around the dining room resumed. If there was any problem, the patrons trusted Sanji to handle it. He, or Zeff, always did. 

“He didn’t upset me,” Nami gritted, equal parts irritated and starving very suddenly, and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Then what’s-” 

Luffy pushed his chair away from the table and rose, dismissing himself without so much as touching the lovingly prepared plate and heading toward the restrooms. Sanji’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Luffy? Not eating? 

“Nami,” Sanji attempted, but was cut off by the vicious stab of her fork into the tender piece of meat on her plate. 

“That man! It’s not right!” She shovelled the bite into her mouth and chewed as if she was trying to gnaw through steel, “Keeping him away from Luffy!” Another murderous bite. Her cheeks were bulging now, “They worked around Zoro’s schedule and he went and messed it all up!!” Sanji watched on in confusion, trying to piece together the puzzle of her words. Nami pouted suddenly, having exhausted herself, “Sanji-kun, this is so good.” 

Warmth bloomed in his chest and made him swell with pride, “Thank you, Nami-swan. I’m glad to hear it. I took special care and gave it extra love just for you.” 

He pressed a kiss to her temple and felt his heart skip. Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around? It didn’t matter. Nami could do no wrong and had every bit of his heart and all its beats and more. If only he could give her everything she deserved- 

Ah, he could go on forever about the perfect creation that was his wife, but that was best saved for when they were alone. He took a seat next to her and eyeballed Luffy’s empty one, “What is going on?” 

Nami sighed heavily, pushing a piece of her meal about on her plate, “Zoro’s not coming home.” 

“Huh? But they plan-” 

Nami scrunched her face in anger, “I know! Mihawk told him no! And now Luffy has no plans, no one to spend the holidays with, and will be alone in that damn apartment for two weeks!”

“No one at all?” Sanji rose a curly eyebrow. 

“We went through the whole list. Everyone has plans of their… own…” Nami tapped her finger against her chin and looked to Sanji, who was waiting patiently for her to finish her thoughts, “Sanji-kun, would you mind if Luffy spent Christmas with us?” 

Sanji gave her a gentle smile and shook his head, “Not at all.” 

“I’ll have to let Nojiko know. I doubt she’d have enough food made to satisfy Luffy.” 

“That’s an understatement.” 

“Still,” Nami sighed heavily, feeling a dip in her mood coming on, “I wish we could do something for him.” 

“We could.” 

Sanji wished he could have lit his cigarette. He felt the heavy weight of his empty pocket against his breast. He’d given it up in favor of sparing Nami and their developing child the health risk, but even so, the soothing habit was proving harder to break than he’d like to admit. 

It would have been a perfect time too. Conversation with a beautiful woman, a dimly lit restaurant, a freshly lit cigarette, and a problem to solve…

Ah, what he’d done for love. 

“Nami-swan, maybe you should talk to Mihawk.” 

Nami’s jaw could have hit the table, “Huh?”

“Luffy’s not nearly as persuasive.” 

Nami snorted and crossed her arms, “He might not be, but I doubt I could get through to that frigid old-” 

Sanji eyed her stomach meaningfully, and it clicked in Nami’s head. Admittedly, she’d used her delicate state to get what she wanted more than a few times. Nothing major, but all the same, she had. She couldn’t say she hated the idea. 

She pursed her lips as she thought about it, “It might work,” She thought aloud, “Perona may be able to help if I grease her palms accordingly. I do have that stuffed sheep she’d like.” 

“Didn’t you get that for the baby?” 

“I don’t like it as much as I thought I did. It’s up Perona’s alley,” She waved her hand, “I’m thinking, Sanji-kun. Don’t interrupt.” 

“Of course, Nami-swan.” 

She bounced ideas around in her head. Sanji could see every wheel turn and every gear grind and every shot down scenario get tossed into the abyss. 

Finally, she nodded decisively, “Yes! I think this might work. Our only problem will be…” 

Sanji forgot his promise, “The meathead.” 

She didn’t mind, “Zoro…” 

“Sorry,” Luffy muttered as he returned to his seat, making Sanji and Nami nearly jump out of their skins. They hadn’t even noticed his approach. 

Almost immediately he dug into his food with a muffled thank-you thrown the chef’s way. Nami and Sanji watched him for a moment and exchanged quick glances. Now or never, they supposed. Nami leaned toward Luffy, resting her weight on her elbows and her chin on her laced fingers. 

“Luffy?” 

“Ah?” 

“Sanji-kun and I were wondering if you’d want to spend your holiday with us?” 

Luffy blinked, looking more and more the child they had known forever, complete with sauce on his face and food bulging out his cheeks. He chewed once, swallowed, and smiled brightly. 

“Sure!” 

.::|~|::.

“How was your flight?” 

Zoro gave him a look that could blister paint. At the side-smirk he caught, Zoro could only guess that Sanji was already trying to rile him up. Of course he was, he thought nastily. Ever since they had met in middle school, Zoro and Sanji had been trying to find ways to fuck with each other, piss each other off so badly that the other would get up and leave. Thus far, neither had given into the challenge; at least, not without some serious intervention. Sanji was trying to get it all out of his system while he could before Nami put a hard stop to their antics. 

“Fantastic.” 

It was far from fantastic. It was a fucking nightmare. To start, his flight was delayed; he had gotten turned around  _ three times _ trying to find the right gate; Sanji had texted him to say that snow was keeping him from the airport where he planned on landing; and Zoro was not only reasonably sure he had forgotten to pack any underwear, socks, and a coat for the trip, but he was just as sure that Nami would be waiting at her door when he showed up with hand outstretched, waiting for money he simply did not have. 

That had only been while he was in the terminal waiting to board. 

Of course, it was a Christmas Eve flight during the day, Zoro’s bag had  _ also _ been delayed and wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow at the earliest, and to top it all off nicely, a father and his very young son had taken up the seats next to him. Zoro wished he could say the kid had been loud, inconsolable, and just generally unruly and terrible, but it had been his PARENT of all things that irked the hell out of him. 

His face turned into a sour scowl at the thought of him. Harassing the stewardess, pitching a fit over their seats, calling his poor wife over every three fucking minutes for  _ nothing _ other than to bitch loudly over things no one could control. Having to listen to him for literally hours had made Zoro contemplate taking up an impromptu skydiving lesson, but then the little boy would have had no one to entertain him and wouldn’t have had the short reprieve from the cyclone of shit his father stirred up.

He could have been able to contemplate just what had transpired between Nami and his would-be teacher on his flight and just what he would do when he and Luffy saw each other again, but he of course couldn’t. Merry Fucking Christmas and Peace to All, Jackass, was all Zoro could think as they got off the plane. 

Thankfully, Sanji didn’t ask him to elaborate when he noticed Zoro’s look. Zoro did not want to tell him the tale of the terrible husband and the defenseless wife and stewardesses. No doubt the idiot would make a hard, illegal u-turn right there in the middle of the crowded, snow-dusted highway and hunt him down. 

“There’s food at home,” Sanji said just before Zoro’s stomach growled, “Nothing’s open anyway.” 

“Like you’d stop for fast food.” 

“I have,” Zoro looked at him, just the tiniest bit stunned. Sanji shrugged a shoulder, “Nami-swan has cravings.” 

Zoro rolled his eyes and pressed his forehead to the frigid passenger window. He should have known. 

Well, he supposed he was no better. Though it was physically impossible for Luffy to get pregnant, he still got hungry. Very much so. He was a bottomless, indiscriminate pit, and far too many times, Zoro and Luffy, in fits of stupidity or insanity or maybe plain just-because, had indulged in late-night runs to the nearest burger joint and ate until they were sick or near full. Not once could Zoro recall telling Luffy no to one of their outings. He supposed that made him just as bad as Sanji. 

He could have laughed. At least Sanji had a very good excuse. 

“We’re here.” 

Exiting, he looked up at the face of the brownstone with no small amount of confusion. 

“This isn’t your apartment.” 

“I was completely unaware! You’re absolutely correct!”  

Zoro’s hands found his hips. He could deal without the sarcasm, “Where are we?” 

“We moved, meathead,” Sanji huffed, grabbing Zoro’s carry-on from the back seat, “Remember?” 

“No.” 

There was a heavy sigh, coloring the frigid air with a cloud of white, “Right after Nami-swan found out she was pregnant, we moved here for more room.” 

“More roo- You planning on filling this all up?” Zoro shielded his eyes to look up toward the roof. Three levels, at least, and who knew just how many rooms. 

He shouldn’t have said anything. The redness in Sanji’s cheeks and the look on his face told Zoro that no, he hadn’t made any such plans, but he was now. Rolling his eyes, he snatched his bag from him and started up the stairs. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t get far. 

“Wait!” 

Sanji grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled, sending him ass-first into a snowpile near the railing. Frost ran up his back and down his legs and chilled him to his core. No jacket was bad enough. Snow in his clothes? Fucking awful. Sanji stood in front of him looking like he wasn’t about to get his entire ass handed to him. 

“Let me check first.” 

“Check for what?!” 

“Nami-swan and Luffy!” Sanji argued back, “Nami-swan said she’d take him out for ‘last minute shopping,’ but they could be back by now!” 

“So what?!” Zoro snapped, standing and brushing the snow from his body as best he could, “I came home to see Luffy! You and Nami  _ paid _ for me to  _ come home _ and  _ spend Christmas with Luffy!! _ ” 

“You’re our gift to Luffy, and we want him to be surprised! Nami-swan planned this down to the last detail!” 

“He can be surprised right now!” 

“She wants it to be Christmas morning!” 

“I don’t care what she wants!” 

“You had BETTER!” 

They stood huffing and puffing across from each other, ready but unwilling to come to blows on the street. While not many were roaming about, they had no doubt caught the attentions of those who drove by and maybe a few neighbors. If anyone was inside Sanji’s home, they surely knew they were outside now. 

Scoffing, Sanji straightened his jacket and pointed a stern finger Zoro’s direction, “Stay.” 

“Sure. Sounds  _ great _ ,” Zoro hugged himself and scowled, “In the meantime, I’ll just freeze to death.” 

Sanji headed up the stoop, and Zoro saw an opportunity. He wasn’t one to attack from behind, but from above was fair game. 

Smirking, Zoro leaned down, scooped up a heavy ball of snow, packed it down, and tossed it up. It soared over Sanji’s head in a graceful arch, smacked onto the awning above with a muffled thump, and caused just the avalanche Zoro wanted. 

He couldn’t suppress his triumphant snicker and smirk as Sanji turned to him and glared. Zoro only shrugged smugly and buried his freezing hands in his armpits, comfortable in the knowledge that Sanji couldn’t exactly prove he had gotten him. 

The door swung open under Sanji’s key and turn, and he was gone. Zoro was left alone in the snow with only his thoughts and shivering to keep him warm. This was utterly ridiculous. Leave it to Sanji to make everything a theatrical performance. He should have been an actor, not a chef. 

Zoro’s teeth chattered in his skull. Just what the hell was he going to do if Nami and Luffy WEREN’T in the house and rolled up as Zoro was waiting outside in the snow  _ like an idiot _ ? 

Wave, probably. What else could he do? Luffy’d probably tackle him, and he’d end up back in the snow. As if he could get any colder. 

Well, Zoro thought, he probably wouldn’t notice the cold so much then. 

“Coast is clear,” Sanji’s voice startled him out of his own head, “Come in, marimo.” 

He made his way inside and sighed as warmth wrapped around him. Looking around, Zoro noted that it looked exactly like he thought it would. Nami had decorated the place simply with well-made, soft furniture and colors, but no doubt expensively. He also had little doubt that she paid less than half for everything, if anything at all. She was more of a shark than any salesman who dared tried to take her for a ride. 

The only thing she may have broken her budget over was the Christmas decorations. Rose gold, champagne, and pearl were the colors they’d chosen. Not traditional in the least, dripping from the ceiling to the floor, and eye-catching, almost awe-inspiring. Homemakers magazines be damned, Sanji and Nami knew what they were doing. Even their tree, a dark green, wide-bottomed and full fir, was clothed in glittering and gleaming ornaments of all shapes, bedazzled with off-white lights that sparkled like snow in early morning, and protected by a trailing, swirling train of gifts ranging in all sizes. 

Zoro would have been lucky to put a tree up let alone decorate it if he and Luffy were in charge. He was surprised nothing had happened to it while Luffy was here. One curious little touch and-

He was shoved out of his thoughts by clothes smacking him in the side of the head. Glaring, he turned to Sanji, who huffed with arms folded over his chest. 

“Don’t even think about finding yours.” 

“I wasn’t,” Zoro scoffed, “Like any of them are for me. That’d ‘give away the surprise,’ wouldn’t it?” 

“Yours are put away. Somewhere Luffy won’t look.” 

His? He wasn’t expecting anything and couldn’t think just what they might have gotten him. He would find out in the morning at any rate. 

“Your room is there,” Sanji’s thumb pointed over his shoulder to the room connected to the kitchen, “We’ll get you when we’re ready.” 

“So you want me to just stay shut up in there with nothing to do for hours?” 

“We both know you’re going to fall asleep.” 

Well, that was true. Jet-lag combined with his natural tendency to sleep when not working or eating was pulling at him body and soul. 

Zoro inspected the clothes in his hands and shook his head. They wouldn’t do. 

“Nami-swan already knows about your bag. She’s bringing you back some-” A wadded up shirt connected with Sanji’s face, unraveled, and draped over his head; an equally wadded pair of pants hit the floor. Sanji snapped the garment off just as Zoro brushed past him, “Got something against my clothes, Marimo?” 

“They’re scrawny,” Zoro flatly replied, “They’d rip.” He headed to the room dubbed his and gave Sanji a wave over his shoulder, “Good night, Dartboard.” 

Sanji opened his mouth to retort, but Zoro’s door was already shut, and the front was opening. 

“Sanji-kun! We’re back!” 

“Welcome home, Nami-swan!!” 

.::|~|::.

Luffy couldn’t sleep. He wished it was excitement keeping him up, but he couldn’t even muster up the energy to smile at the thought of gifts and food and laughter and everything else that would happen in the morning. He lay in the dark staring at the wall and listened to the clock tick. 

He should have been in Zoro’s apartment right now. Zoro should have been sleeping pressed up behind him. They should have had their own decorations up, own presents waiting to be opened, own plans for dinner. He didn’t want to seem ungrateful. Luffy was very, very grateful to Nami and Sanji; he just… wanted things different. That wasn’t such a bad thing to want, was it?

With a sigh, Luffy reached out to grab his phone. At his touch, the screen lit up, and the lockscreen revealed a picture of Zoro and him at Ace’s birthday party a year ago. When they had snuck off to be alone for a moment and steal a bit of frosting off the cake, of course. If Luffy’s heart wasn’t aching before, it surely was now. 

It wasn’t even Christmas yet. 11:58 PM. Two minutes away. 

He wondered what Zoro was doing right now. He never was very explicit with the details of just what Mihawk required of him; that being said, Luffy never did ask for details. He was sure he’d tell him. Maybe next time… 

11:59 

If there was a next time. Luffy soured at the thought. How many more times would Mihawk tell Zoro no? Luffy’s birthday? No, can’t go.  _ His _ birthday? No, can’t go. Nami’s baby shower? No, can’t go. Luffy in the hospital? No, can’t go. Luffy could go on and on, but he wouldn’t. He already stewed enough. 

12:00. Officially Christmas. 

Luffy swung his legs over the side of the bed and touched the floor with his bare feet. It was cold and grounded him only slightly. He snuck out of his room, down the hall past Nami’s and Sanji’s door, down the stairs, and stole into the kitchen. Cookies were left out for Santa, a habit Nami and Sanji were trying to adapt with their little one on its way, and were untouched. At least, until Luffy got to them. 

He just needed a tiny pick-me-up. Something to mull around on his tongue to offset the bitter taste residing there. One cookie turned into two, two turned into three, three into five, and five into seven. Three remained on the plate and for once, Luffy couldn’t bring himself to devour the rest. They would be better left for Sanji or Nami or actual Santa. 

Food wasn’t helping. It hadn’t helped at dinner the night Nami asked him to stay with them, and it wasn’t helping now. He eyed the presents under the tree in the next room. He could open one or two of his own, make himself feel a little better. 

But… Nami had been so excited and he couldn’t bring himself to upset her and upset Sanji in turn. He’d be patient, if only this once.  

He had no other choice but to slink back up the stairs to his room and perhaps try for sleep again. Though, as soon as he sat back on his bed, he knew sleep wouldn’t come. He looked mournfully at his phone again. 12:08 AM. It would be only 8:08 where Zoro was right now, but he could still call him, still wish him a Merry Christmas. He dialed his number, muscle memory doing all the work for him, and brought the phone to his ear. 

It rang, and a ring from the hallway answered. The all too familiar tone crept in from under his door, and Luffy was sure he was imagining it. 

At least, until a hiss chased the melody. 

“Shit!” 

The ring stopped abruptly. 

Luffy didn’t remember getting up, didn’t remember going to the door, turning the knob, opening it. He didn’t remember what he had been doing up this late and what he had been so upset about as he stared at Zoro. 

Zoro smiled down at him, all soft edges and smooth skin in a look made just for Luffy, “Merry Christmas?” He offered. 

Luffy lunged at him. He wrapped his arms around his neck, pulled him down, buried his fingers into short green hair, and captured his lips in one movement so memorized, so played out, it took no effort and thought at all. Zoro responded in kind with arms across Luffy’s back and an embrace that would have stolen the breath from a normal human. 

They separated briefly and panted. Each waited for the other to speak, but they forewent words in favor of attempting to meld their lips and bodies together. Luffy tugged at Zoro and coaxed him further into the room. He was sure the door slammed, but he was far too gone to care about something as trivial as noise and who slept soundly down the hall. 

He was sure this was real. It had to be. If he woke up and everything was a dream… Luffy didn’t entertain the possibility. He couldn’t. His legs hit his bed, he tumbled back bringing Zoro down with him, and all other thought left his brain. 

Zoro broke the kiss and trailed more over his cheeks and jaw, “They wanted me to wait ‘til morning,” Luffy shut his eyes and lifted his chin as Zoro moved down. Still, he clung to him with hands so tightly balled, he could have shredded holes into Zoro’s shirt, “But then I saw you in the kitchen-” 

“Kitchen,” Luffy murmured, “Where?” 

“The room off to the side-” 

“Peeping Tom?” 

That earned him a sharp nip to the collar. Luffy groaned and let his head fall back onto his pillow. 

“Zoro’s a jerk,” He continued, “He should have come out earlier.” 

Zoro was slowly moving back up and leaving a trail of nips and kisses to mark his way. He stopped just below Luffy’s ear and began working a mark there. 

“Surprise,” He wrote the word along his skin with his breath. Luffy shivered, and Zoro smirked, “Dartboard-brow and Nami wanted to give me to you as a gift. ‘Wait until Christmas,’ he said.” 

“It’s Christmas now.” 

He nodded in confirmation, “It’s Christmas now.” 

Luffy’s hands all but grabbed the sides of Zoro’s face and pulled him back into their dance of tongues. This is what it was supposed to be, delayed by too many hours and days. He was supposed to be tangled in Zoro’s embrace, feeling his weight against him, absorbing his warmth, and sharing his air. Zoro was supposed to be devouring Luffy and laughing with him and staying up late on Christmas Eve due to excitement and not the negativity Luffy had suddenly forgotten. Not separated for months at a time with someone telling them  _ no _ . 

Luffy didn’t like “no.” He especially didn’t like “can’t.” Zoro with him now was a defiance to both. 

Luffy’s hands moved from Zoro’s back in favor of snaking up and under his shirt. Zoro patted his pocket, furrowed his brows, and pulled away. 

“Wait. Wait, wait, wait,” Zoro muffled a halt into Luffy’s lips. Luffy whined as Zoro struggled out of his hold, “I’ll be right back.” 

He whined and chased him as he slid off the bed, “Nooooo,” Luffy caught him just as he rose to his knees, “Stay.” 

Zoro gave into the temptation for just a moment and indulged in another deep kiss, “I’ll be right back,” He repeated, clearly wanting to rush off and come back as quickly as possible. 

He slipped away before he could be dragged down again. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t. Zoro nearly cleared the stairs with a leap and rushed to his room. It was a stupid thing to forget considering he knew exactly what would happen the moment he reunited with Luffy. He chastised himself; he hadn’t forgotten to pocket his cellphone of all things. Though, he was sure that could be chalked up to habit more than anything. 

It was the reason he had Sanji stop at the drugstore on the way home aside from it being the only place open. Of course, he hadn’t told him as much. The guise of needing toiletries and something to drink had worked well enough. Reminding Sanji that Nami may need some prenatals just in case the snow got bad enough to be trapped inside had sealed the trip. 

Now he just needed to remember where he put the damn bag. 

He searched his tiny and only bit of luggage with no luck. The nightstand nearest to him was empty too. Zoro had nearly tore the room apart before he reached under the pillow he used and felt the tell-tale crinkle of plastic under his fingers. He smiled triumphantly and whipped around. 

“Alrig-” 

A dark blur shot at him from the kitchen and sent him sprawling across his bed. 

“Luffy!” Luffy straddled him and only allowed Zoro to sit up on his elbows, “I told you I’d be right back.” 

“Doesn’t matter where,” Luffy breathed, fingers skittering down to the hem of his sleep shirt and curling onto it.

Well, he wasn’t wrong. Zoro watched as Luffy wrenched the shirt off his body and fling it over it shoulder. He was sure if there was just the slightest bit of resistance, Luffy would have shredded the fabric without a second thought. Not quite the sexy strip-tease he could have gotten, but that could come later. Getting from Point A to Point B seemed to be the theme at the moment. 

Zoro could help him along at the very least. The ties of Luffy’s pajama pants came undone at his insistent pull. Luffy shifted to his hands and knees over Zoro and kicked off the last of his clothes. 

“Zoro’s turn,” Luffy stated, already reaching for the bottom of Zoro’s shirt and zipper-pull. 

Zoro headed him off and pushed against Luffy’s frame. He made him sit back and rest on his hips while he stripped off his shirt. He’d give him the show he was denied, if only to frustrate Luffy with the slowness. 

Luffy could trace every single twitch and slide and ripple Zoro’s muscles made with the simple motion of pulling his shirt over his head. It never failed to capture all of Luffy’s attention; a rarity to be certain. Though, anyone would have been captivated. Zoro was built in a way that fascinated. If Luffy could be described as a curve, all lithe and smooth and bendy in a way that made him seem more rubber than flesh, Zoro was an angle, sharp and precise, hard and bold, definite and underappreciated. Just what angle depended on the day and who he was with, but the analogy didn’t hold any less weight. 

Luffy’s teeth caught his bottom lip between them as he ran a hand over the flat, firm expanse of Zoro’s chest. He sighed. Real. Here.  _ Hot _ . Zoro always ran hot, hotter than even Ace did and he ran like a furnace in the dead of winter. Luffy wouldn’t say he was prone to cold, but  _ god _ did Zoro feel nice. Leaning against him relaxed him and eased his muscles; burying himself into his side kept him from freezing in the middle of the night; kissing him warmed him like a fire; feeling him  _ inside _ … Luffy released a shaky breath and felt his cock twitch with fresh interest. Just a few more minutes. 

His nails bit into the puckered flesh of Zoro’s scar. He didn’t want to wait for Zoro to get bored of teasing. With a hard shove, Luffy pinned Zoro back to the bed and unzipped his pants for him. 

“Hey!” Zoro wanted to come off more irritated, but missed the mark by a mile. 

“Too slow.” 

Fingers curled into his belt loops and with a surprisingly graceful flourish, Luffy rid Zoro of the rest of his clothing in one tug. He descended on him like he was a feast. Starting at Zoro’s collar and working his way down, Luffy traced every taut muscle and brushed every peak and dip of his lines with his lips. He knew the landscape better than he knew his. No scar was unmapped, no expanse untouched, no crevice or sensitive spot unexplored. Luffy was sure Zoro could say the very same about him. 

Zoro sat back up onto his elbows as Luffy continued his way down and loved every second of watching Luffy work. It was best savored at that moment. If he knew Luffy like he knew he knew Luffy, it’d only be a matter of time until he got bored and moved onto the next step. 

True to form, Luffy damn near immediately moved on the second the thought entered Zoro’s mind. His head dropped back like a weight onto his shoulders and a hiss whistled through his teeth as Luffy all but engulfed him. 

Zoro swallowed and licked at his lips, trying to keep himself together enough to catalog every movement of Luffy’s tongue on his cock, every hot breath fanning out against his stomach, every kneading grip on his thighs and hips, every bob and dip of Luffy’s head as Luffy worked him to the edge. It was a futile effort. Just as it was every single time before. He wasn’t even sure why he tried. Maybe it was the only thing keeping him from immediately letting go, a distraction from Luffy’s mastery. 

It never worked for long. Zoro reached down, tangled his fingers into Luffy’s unruly dark mess, and pulled just hard enough to get his attention. Luffy looked up at him and lifted his mouth away in an obscenely wet display Zoro had to blank out to keep from finishing right then. Luffy’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. 

“Already?” He questioned, “Zoro doesn’t have any alone time with Mihawk?” 

Zoro felt himself droop a bit. At least he didn’t have to worry about how to rein himself in anymore. 

“Luffy, please,  _ please _ , think before you speak.”

“Eh? Why?” He mentally reviewed his sentence and pursed his reddened lips, his telltale sign of confusion, “All I meant-”

“I know what you  _ meant! _ That is not how it came out!” 

“Then why is Zoro so worried about it?”

“Because last time I checked I was trying to have a good time with my boyfriend and not think about my boss. Especially not think about me  _ and  _ my boss.”

“Ew!” 

“Yeah, damn right ‘ew’!” 

“I didn’t mean that!” 

“That’s how you said it!”

“That’s gross!” Luffy near shrieked. 

Zoro’s hand snapped over his mouth and intently, he listened. Aside from the sounds of a house settling and being weary and warm, there was nothing. He thanked whatever deities were watching over him. He could only imagine the wrath they would have wrought had they woke up Sanji with their yelling, and the amount of yelling that would follow if Sanji caught them mid-coitus in his home. He doubted they would be allowed back ever again if they woke both Sanji  _ and _ Nami. 

Luffy pulled Zoro’s hand away from his mouth, listened, heard nothing, and frowned, “Isn’t Mihawk your dad or something?” 

Zoro felt the vein in his head throb, “Luffy. Get off it, or I’m going to send you back to your room and make you practice acting surprised.” 

“Huh? Acting surprised?” 

“Yeah because I’m going to roll over and fall asleep and act like we didn’t sneak into each other’s rooms and ruin Sanji’s and Nami’s surprise.” 

“No! Zoro can’t!” 

“Yes! Zoro can and  _ Zoro will _ .” 

Luffy pouted and crossed his arms, “Zoro started it.” 

“Alright. Off.” 

“No,” Luffy huffed.

Zoro sat up all the way, nerve firing in his brow, “Luffy-” 

Whatever scolding he had died quickly as Luffy caught him in another kiss, arms snaking around his neck. He spoke volumes without saying a thing and was dragging Zoro back down, leading him around by the hand and heart just like he always had. 

Zoro couldn’t stop himself from following and wrapping his own limbs around Luffy’s middle. He didn’t want this to end anymore than Luffy did. He wanted Luffy close, wanted his body warm and wound tightly against him, wanted the taste of his tongue on his, wanted to devour every inch of him and drown in all the noises he could make. 

They parted briefly when Luffy pulled back and cupped Zoro’s face in his palms. Thoughts made the earthy brown of his irises sparkle and waver in the dark. They stared at one another, faces barely inches away, and breathed each other’s air.

“Does Zoro really want me to leave?” 

“No.” Immediate. Firm, “No, I don’t.” 

“I missed you,” Luffy spoke, resting his forehead to Zoro’s and shutting the brightness of his eyes away behind soft lids.

Zoro smirked, “Really? I couldn’t tell.” 

“Zoro!” Luffy whined, tilting his head in an attempt to move in for a kiss. 

He avoided Luffy’s lips teasingly and instead accepted the affection just under his eye, “I missed you too.” 

His own lips meandered across Luffy’s cheek and nose, leaving butterfly-soft prints in their wake. Luffy’s nose scrunched at the contact and unsubtly tried to maneuver Zoro’s path back to his mouth. Zoro held off for as long as he could, but eventually, he gave in, sealing their lips back together.  

Luffy sighed into his mouth and pressed himself against Zoro, urging him to fall back. Zoro wouldn’t. Not this time. His fingers danced up Luffy’s spine and crossed over his shoulder blades. With a turn, Luffy found himself pressed into Zoro’s comforter, head nestled by his pillow, and body covered by Zoro’s broader frame. 

Their wheels began to turn, slowly at first, but were quickly gaining speed. Their kissing was the starting point, lazy beginnings rapidly building to a sloppy dance of tongues and huffing, unsatisfying breaths. Hands left their safe places of rest to go explore skin left untouched for far too many days and igniting every inch with a fire that made them both squirm. 

Zoro abandoned Luffy’s mouth and made his way down the column of his neck. Stamping kisses turned into nips that threatened to be bites, and Luffy’s gasps followed by transforming into keening whines. He knew what was coming and he couldn’t stop his hips bucking up as Zoro’s teeth gently pressed around his Adam’s apple. It was just enough to feel the pressure of his jaw’s strength, enough to leave little indents on his skin, but not enough to bruise and surely not enough to break the vulnerable, tender area. 

“Zoro,” Luffy murmured, “Go.” 

He smirked, and Luffy felt the crawl of his lips across his sweat-slickened skin as he did. 

“Go?” Zoro questioned, a laugh decorating the word, “Go where?” 

The whine Luffy released was criminal and almost made Zoro feel the pricklings of pity. Almost, but not quite. They had a ways to go yet. Zoro’s questing hand felt for the bag again and triumphantly withdrew the bottle it sought. Victory only lasted as long as the bottle was in his grip, no more than a few seconds at best. Luffy snatched it away and popped open the top and seal. 

“Hey-” Zoro tried. Words died quickly as Luffy spread a more than generous amount across his fingers and reached down. 

A gasp. Zoro was enthralled by the parting of Luffy’s plump lips and the humidity building between them. He wanted to look down, to take in the show Luffy was giving in its entirety, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave Luffy’s face. He could see every shade of his skin as it moved from tan to pink to red. Each beat of his heart brought with it a darker hue and heavier breaths. Beautiful fell a little short of a word. 

He tried to clear his throat, “You,” Again, he tried. The dryness he felt wouldn’t be swallowed down or dislodged with a cough, “You want help?” 

Luffy nodded. Zoro’s hand slid over the flatness of Luffy’s stomach and wrapped around his ready and weeping cock. Luffy arched and keened at the touch. His own hand hadn’t quite captured the feeling of Zoro’s. Whether it was the calluses or size or that twist on his upstroke Zoro managed to do that Luffy couldn’t, he wasn’t sure, but it may have been as simple as it just not being Zoro’s. 

After six months, it felt even better.

Luffy bucked in Zoro’s grip and worked his fingers deeper into himself. He was growing more and more impatient. He had been the one setting the pace and even he couldn’t keep up with the want thundering through his veins. He wanted to say something, anything to get him and Zoro up to where he wanted to be, but words fled him, every single one except for Zoro’s name. 

“Zoro,” He gasped, bending himself more into a bow and just barely brushed their bodies together. 

It sent sparks skittering under his skin that made his toes curl and breath escape with a whoosh. Zoro’s legendary heat was boiling him and too quickly he was losing everything. Even Zoro’s name was being lost. All he could do was remove his fingers, catch his legs on Zoro’s hips, and hope the message was clear. Hope that he wasn’t completely consumed by Zoro’s presence before they both could tumble over the edge. 

Thankfully, Zoro had always been able to read him. 

“All right, Luffy,” Zoro released him in favor of grabbing his hips and pulling him closer, “I get it. You sure you’re ready?” 

He nodded hard enough to nearly break his neck and watched, mesmerized and captured, as Zoro plucked a condom from the box he purchased and rolled it over the hard, proud length hovering just over his own. Luffy’s breaths were becoming shallow pants as anticipation overtook him. Wide-blown pupils drank in the sight of Zoro adjusting himself: the tensing of his abs as he moved into position, the sweat making his skin shine in the dark, his rough fingers moving from his hip and curling around his thigh. 

Impatience made the slow connection agonizing. Every inch Zoro pushed in may as well have taken an hour in Luffy’s mind. He clawed at his shoulders and arms and dug his heels into Zoro’s lower back to push him forward faster, but nothing relieved the strain until Zoro’s thighs were pressed against his and his body lowered over him. 

The creep of Zoro’s heat was as sluggish as their union had been, but  _ oh _ , the invasion was so welcome. Luffy wrapped himself around Zoro as much the monkey his namesake depicted and tried to burrow into his frame. It wasn’t enough to be slowly warmed from the inside; he wanted Zoro’s flame to lick at every inch of his skin. 

Zoro snickered close to his ear, “Wind around me any tighter and I won’t be able to move.” 

The ‘oh’ that followed came out of Luffy like a shot. All it took was the slightest move of Zoro’s hips and Luffy was already coming apart at the seams, melting away like wax around a lit candle wick. 

Zoro wanted to say he was faring better, but that would be a very bad lie. Luffy was too tight, too ready, too excited that Zoro wanted to ram into him without restraint until they were both messy and loud and sore. Maybe when they were both back at his apartment they could try to see how many surfaces they could cover before either being spent or breaking at least one. 

He moved again, the startings of a rhythm, and breathed in deep the smell of Luffy’s skin. Luffy’s hands were everywhere: along his back, in his hair, grabbing his hips and ass, and his yipping whines were lengthening with each quickening thrust until one bled into the other in a continuous note. 

It wasn’t enough. Neither thought it was enough. Their bodies, though connected, were too far away. Zoro couldn’t move fast enough, and Luffy’s digging fingers couldn’t bridge the gap. 

“Zoro,” Luffy managed through his moans and whines. A plea more than a groan.

“Luffy,” Zoro echoed. A gasp more than a call. 

Without saying more, both mutually decided to move. Luffy’s arms coiled tightly around Zoro’s neck at the same moment Zoro’s went around his back. Luffy leaned up, Zoro back, and ended up face-to-face, sitting up and flush from thigh to neck. They stared as if searching and gave up to collide their mouths together. 

Zoro’s hands moved first, going down to Luffy’s hips and reigniting the pace. Luffy didn’t need much nudging and was soon bouncing in Zoro’s lap. This was better. So, so much better. While they couldn’t be as buried in the other as their bodies demanded, being as close as they were now was a very close second. 

Luffy cried out, head snapping back, as Zoro struck his prostate. Sweat soaked his brow, glued his hair to his skin, and rolled down his face and neck as he was pummelled from within. He could feel his end nearing, the straining spring crying out to be released from the pressure it was under, and he was totally at the mercy of it. 

But no less so than being at Zoro’s as well. 

Zoro pulled his mouth back down to his and ate every cry, every moan, every whine that Luffy offered and seemed to grow bolder with each one he consumed. His movements were stuttering, becoming less and less rhythmic and more and more desperate and deep. He was following just behind Luffy toward the edge and was rushing to meet it with him. 

All it took was Luffy tightening his thighs and inner muscles around him to make his orgasm crack through him. His fingers curled hard into the soft roundness of Luffy’s hips to keep him in the impossible closeness they created and would no doubt leave bruises. 

It was Zoro’s increased heat within that made Luffy follow. Thick ropes of white painted their stomachs and Luffy shook with each twitch his cock gave. 

Too soon, it seemed, that it was over, and the pair was almost shocked by their coupling’s quicknes. They were both all heavy, shuddering breaths and swollen lips as they pulled out of their kiss, unwilling to separate more than that. Both still trembled and searched the other with darkened eyes. 

Zoro, surprisingly, was the one to break the relative silence, “Again?” 

Luffy nodded and brought their mouths back together.  

.::|~|::.

Nami leaned against the doorframe and sipped at the mug in her grip. She wished she could say she didn’t believe the sight before her, but that would have been a lie. Luffy and Zoro were out cold on the bed. Their blanket was in a heap on the floor and their sheets were the only thing blocking Nami’s view from their full nudity. 

She wanted to be mad, just a little, but if she had been, she could have only blamed herself. She should have seen this exact scenario coming. 

Sanji joined her at her side as she took another swig of her drink. Ladle in one hand and skillet in the other, Sanji was armed and ready to give Luffy and Zoro the rude awakening they deserved. Just as he raised his weapons to bang together, she raised her hand and shook her head. 

“It’s alright, Sanji-kun.” 

“What is alright about this?” Sanji scowled, “I told him to stay in here and we would come get him.” 

She sighed, “It can’t be helped. And think about it a bit,” She paused, letting Sanji’s imagination start up, “I’d much rather it be here than at Nojiko’s.” 

“N-Nojiko-chan’s?!” 

Nami nodded, “My guess would be in her bathroom while waiting for dinner to get done. Nojiko has never been punctual about mealtimes.” 

Sanji’s cheek twitched, and the kitchenware nearly clattered to the floor as his grip loosened. 

“I did not want that image in my head, Nami-swan.” 

“Neither did I, but,” She gestured to the two still in dreamland, “We can’t do anything with them.” 

“Something tells me they’ll still try.” 

She scoffed, “Of course they will, but that’s a bridge to cross when we get there,” Nami pushed away from the doorframe and turned to go back to the kitchen, “As for now, I’m starving. Christmas breakfast is in order, I think.”

Sanji nodded, glared at the sleeping pair, and shut the door. 

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for this being so meandering and relatively subpar. Such is the nature of this exercise, but I'm not quite as proud of this particularly run as I am with previous endeavors. 
> 
> When I began writing, I believed that it would be quick and to the point; as it ended up, it was hilly, long, and gave more background incidents. Again, such is the First Line Challenge's downfall, the run-on of words, but I felt the need to clarify and apologize nonetheless. 
> 
> That being said, I do hope it was enjoyable otherwise. Please comment and give kudos!


End file.
